Solid perfume questions

[Mobjack Bay]

First off, is this the right place to post questions about solid perfume? I hope so.

Right now I’m planning to make my base with jojoba and beeswax, or possibly jojoba and cera bellina.

Based on what I read this morning, I’m pretty much finding two different ratios for liquid oil to beeswax - 2:1 and 4:1. Most are by volume, which is not my preference. I have batches cooling of jojoba:beeswax at 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 by weight. The challenge is that I won’t have even 24 hours to get these in the mail once they’re made. Some of the tins will be going to Southern California (warmish until next spring, but not tropical), Georgia (moderate until spring), and upstate NY (cold/cool until summer). If anyone has any recommendations on the best ratios for these locals, please let me know! I can easily make the batches separately.

I’m thinking about using cera bellina because I have it and it produces more of a glide/slip than beeswax. Has anyone tried it in solid perfume? If so, any suggestions or cautions?

Last question for now. Do discoloring FOs discolor in a product like this? I’m planning to use mostly EOs, but wondered about FOs because there may be some notes that I can only add by using an FO. And yes, I will check usage rates using EOCalc and supplier websites.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Hoping someone will pop in to help! @bwtapestry @Misschief @AliOop @DeeAnna @dibbles @IrishLass

 

[Misschief]

Sorry, @Mobjack Bay, I haven't made solid perfumes so I'm of no help on this one.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Sorry, @Mobjack Bay, I haven't made solid perfumes so I'm of no help on this one.

Thanks for letting me know!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Great minds think alike! I was pondering solid perfumes just last week. A girl at work uses a patchouli oil and gets it from a 'hippie' shop in Wellington (six hours away). I said i could probably make it...

I was thinking carnauba wax and fractionated coconut oil for mine as I have both these on hand (and I promote my products as vegan). Using my lotion bars as a reference point, I generally have 35%wax, 35% butters and the balance liquid oils. I make my lotion bars quite hard because otherwise they don't stand up to the humidity here. Closest to Georgia I would think. The thing that we don't know is whether people will keep it at home or put it in their handbag - the latter being a lot more vulnerable to temperature variations.

Given that perfume doesn't need to be 'stand alone' solid and would be kept in a tin, I would probably go with 10 - 20% wax and the balance liquid oils. I'm contemplating using shea butter too but not sure of shelf life. It's way cheaper than wax so I thought I could do maybe 10% Carnauba, 20% shea and the rest liquid.

For yours right now, being winter I would go 4:1 liquid/wax for Georgia and NY, and 2:1 or 3:1 for Sth. California. But then of course - summer is a game changer with Georgia being the most humid, and Cali having a dry heat, NY I'm not sure. Bear in mind that if people are keeping the perfume inside that homes are fairly temperate all year round - so go middle ground 3:1 for all????

Let me know how how it goes.

 

[KiwiMoose]

@Mobjack Bay ^ updated.

 

[AliOop]

I’ve not made solid perfume before, so I’m no help with wax ratios. However, I can say that strongly discoloring FOs do tend to discolor my bath bombs, lotion bars, and lotions.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@KiwiMoose I think you’re right that 3:1 could work all around, especially because I plan to pour them into tins. The 4:1 seems a bit too soft at my current room temperature (69F, 20C) and the 2:1 doesn’t have much glide. Decision made! I’m going to put the cera bellina tests on the back burner for now since I haven’t even decided on my EO blends. Plus, the day seems to have evaporated!

As for shea and rancidity, I’ve used soft oils, shea, mango and cocoa butter in balms and lotion bars. I add ROE to the oils and haven’t had problems with anything going rancid. In fact, I just found a tin of balm that I made with calendula-infused RBO and beeswax back in Dec 2020 and it’s not rancid!

@AliOop thank you for the heads up!

 

[Ephemerella]

@Mobjack Bay I made this lip balm about 4 weeks ago, BB recipe attached. Its been solid despite staying in the leg pocket of my yoga pants all day, friends give rave reviews. I apply it to abrasions, and it disappears quickly on the skin.

I used refined shea and white/filtered beeswax.

It's such a nice consistency and so nice on the skin, I was toying with using it as a trial base for a solid cologne myself. FWIW.

I'm on the eastern seaboard, and am a reverse snowbird, so bouncing between humid coastline and frozen north.

 

[cmzaha]

I made and sold solid perfumes for several years and this was the formula I used which came from a perfumist. I know most will not agree with the ratios but you have to remember solid perfumes are only used on small areas. I never had any complaints and sold a lot of them. I put them in little lip balm pots. My recipe was uber simple 1/3 beewax or preferred wax, 1/3 liquid oil, I preferred SAO, and 1/3 Fragrance or EO, with the exception of spicy type EOs such as cloves or cinnamon. I added no colorants just melted the wax in the oil and added in the fragrance.

 

[dibbles]

We've had extended family here all day, so I just saw this. I've only made solid perfumes once, so far from experienced with this. I bought this book that I think was recommended by @Carly B. I'm pretty sure I used the basic recipe which is 5 ml jojoba to 1/2 heaping tsp beeswax (which is what I have so I'm sure I didn't sub anything). I used the recommended IFRA amount. I used Scent Memory Baccarat Rouge 540 type FO, which discolors in soap (but does not contain vanillin), and my solid perfume did not discolor. Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Thank you @AliOop @Ephemerella @cmzaha and @dibbles for all of the useful information!

When all was said and done, I managed to eek out two bottles of beard oil, one tin of solid perfume and three lip balms. There were all kinds of distractions from a friend bringing holiday cheer, which was nice, and picking up soap, to every pair of scissors in the house deciding to go missing, to the discovery that I only had one small tin for solid perfume. The great news is that all of my packages are addressed and ready to go in the morning.

 

[KiwiMoose]

@Mobjack Bay I made this lip balm about 4 weeks ago, BB recipe attached. Its been solid despite staying in the leg pocket of my yoga pants all day, friends give rave reviews. I apply it to abrasions, and it disappears quickly on the skin.

I used refined shea and white/filtered beeswax.

It's such a nice consistency and so nice on the skin, I was toying with using it as a trial base for a solid cologne myself. FWIW.

I'm on the eastern seaboard, and am a reverse snowbird, so bouncing between humid coastline and frozen north.

So approx 10% wax, 50% Shea, and 40% liquid oil. And it stays solid you say?

 

[BWt]

Hoping someone will pop in to help! @bwtapestry @Misschief @AliOop @DeeAnna @dibbles @IrishLass

So sorry was off line. Making fudge. See pic. Ten lbs. with walnuts and teeny bit of salt on top.
Solid perfume and or balms. I use Mandy Aftel recipe for perfume: 5 ml jojoba oil and 1/2 heaping teaspoon beeswax, approx 20 drops scent. Yes substitute as you wish with oil or wax. Changes in oils and wax slightly affect the skin feel and scent. I melt wax in a water bath then add oil and when both are melted add scent last to prevent evaporation. Use small glass measuring cup or glass beaker made to use with heat. Can be tested easily by using a wooden chop stick or skewer. Drop a bit of the melted wax onto a plate. After a minute you will be able to rub it around with your finger. This should give you an idea of how firm the mixture is.
Balms. My preference is 4:1 oils to wax. Check the melting point of the wax you are using. The higher the melting point the harder your product could be depending on ratio. Yesterday made balm 4:1 jojoba beeswax and added a bit of body safe very tiny glitter (Madmicas.com sparkle plenty) for a fun holiday boost. The glitter addition means stirring while pouring as glitter loves to settle to the bottom of the balm. So I stir- pour a bit then stir and pour a bit more.
Have used many types of oil for balms. For solid perfume I prefer any fast absorbing oils so the perfume isn’t greasy on the skin.
4:1 fractionated coconut to wax is excellent for wooden utensils or bowls. Also dog paws in winter.

 

[BritS]

I hope I’m not too late. Humblebee and Me has a great formula that I’ve modified a bit. This is the link to her page: Steamer Trunk Solid Perfume.

My modifications include using candelilla wax in place of beeswax. I find it’s less sticky, and it also makes it vegan friendly for those that mind. I also use jojoba, hemp, and sunflower oil instead of just sunflower. I calculated my fragrance to be 9% of the formula, making sure that any fragrances I use conform to IFRA, of course.

 

[Ephemerella]

Yep. Quite nice, actually. I leave mine in my pocket most of the day, and it gets soft but stay solid. The shea has gotten a bit grainy with repeated cooling and warming, but the grains melt on contact, so you never feel it. Its not greasy at all on the skin, which is why I considered it for a starting point for a solid cologne. 5 minutes after applying it, I couldn't tell that its there.

I am curious to try the cera bellina too, as well as jojoba oil, or meadowfoam.

 

[Ephemerella]

Video

 

[BWt]

Video

What a great idea! Thank you for posting this. My 4:1 ratio with beeswax is much firmer indoors Am in 10 degree outdoors so anything in handbag or jacket pocket will freeze.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Thank you @Ephemerella @bwtapestry @Ochre+Co

@Ochre+Co I saw the Steamer Trunk recipe yesterday and it sounds nice. Will try when I get more containers. Do you increase the oils when you use Candelilla wax?

@Ephemerella extra smooth and extra points for the movie! I’ve read that cera bellina (polyglycerol-3 beeswax) and a few other products will reduce or eliminate the graininess of shea. See this thread for more infomation.

@bwtapestry fudge looks yummy! The book is already in my Amazon cart. I have the tins I need to make Spoon/Wood Butter and was going back and forth about using a food grade oil like HO Sunflower or mineral oil. I’m going to try the FCO instead.

 

[BWt]

Thank you @Ephemerella @bwtapestry @Ochre+Co

@Ochre+Co I saw the Steamer Trunk recipe yesterday and it sounds nice. Will try when I get more containers. Do you increase the oils when you use Candelilla wax?

@Ephemerella extra smooth and extra points for the movie! I’ve read that cera bellina (polyglycerol-3 beeswax) and a few other products will reduce or eliminate the graininess of shea. See this thread for more infomation.

@bwtapestry fudge looks yummy! The book is already in my Amazon cart. I have the tins I need to make Spoon/Wood Butter and was going back and forth about using a food grade oil like HO Sunflower or mineral oil. I’m going to try the FCO instead.

@Mobjack Bay For wood butter have added Grapefruit EO. Saw same in a purchased wood butter product. Was pleased with results.